Big Sean and The Chainsmokers kick off season of college spring celebrations

The month of April marks music festivals and spring weeks for many colleges, and Babson did not disappoint with Big Sean. On Sat. March 11, college students from all over the Boston area, including Boston College, Boston University, Wellesley College and Babson College gathered in the Babson gym, awaiting the arrival of the Michigan rapper and his famous hits, among them “I don’t fuck with you’’ and “Blessings.”

The event was first opened with The Chainsmokers, known for their smash hit, “Selfie.” As the DJ duo Andrew Taggart and Alex Pall blasted over and over the lyrics “but first, let me take a selfie,” students whipped out their cellphones and did what the music asked them to do, recording videos of themselves or taking group selfies with their friends. While the song “Selfie” does indeed have an energetic beat and is quite catchy, the other tracks were not as dancable. Frustration quickly mounted as people attempted to dance to the beat and grab onto some consistency, but the DJs changed songs too frequently for anyone to be able to keep up. During their cover of Chromeo’s “Jealous,” for example, an escalating cheer from the crowd quickly died when the Chainsmokers kept leaving the main melody to add their own electronic twist to the song. Despite the slightly disappointing Chainsmokers performance, the audience was pumped, ready to welcome the main performer of the event. More people filtered in and quickly filled the entire gym; as the clock approached 10 p.m., the area was almost full with rowdy Big Sean fans ready to dance.

The rapper stepped onstage, supported by a roaring crowd and blinding strobe lights, and began the show with great energy. He proceeded to perform his biggest hits “Mercy” and “Guap” as the audience mouthed all the lyrics to the songs. While some students calmly bobbed their heads, others sat on shoulders, jumped up and down and mobbed to the front of the crowd. Avid Big Sean listeners brought neon posters showing support for the increasingly popular rapper. Big Sean’s most recent song, “Blessings,” came on and it seemed as though the entire crowd shouted every word to the chorus. The mixture of excitement, appreciation for his rapping and flailing limbs created a fun atmosphere that was clearly communicated by the ecstatic smiles on student’s faces.

The true climax occured toward the end of the concert, when Big Sean whipped his shirt off and dove into the crowd, sitting on a sea of students who eagerly propped him up. One lucky student in the front row recalled the flood of emotions as she was able to hold the rapper’s hand. Amidst the entanglement of bodies and sweat, one thing was clear: Big Sean was a very charismatic artist who knew how to engage and excite his audience. It was evident that his passion remained with him throughout the entire show, manifesting itself most dynamically during his final hit “I don’t fuck with you,” where he told the audience: “Bounce! Bounce! Bounce! Bounce!” The crowd exploded into screaming hyped up by the popularity and catchiness of the song.

The Big Sean event was not a mere rap concert, but the start of the end of the semester and the more festivities to come in the spring. For those who missed the experience of Big Sean, more opportunities to experience the intensity of college concerts can be found at the upcoming Tufts Spring Concert, featuring Kesha and Misterwives, MIT’s spring concert with Lupe Fiasco, and of course, in Wellesley’s very own “Spring Week 2K15.” Put together by the Schneider Board of Governors, Wellesley looks forward to many events, including the pre-Marathon Monday concert featuring ILOVEMAKONNEN, the artist of top hit, “Tuesday.” As the weather warms up and students slowly begin to enjoy the blue skies and above-40 degree weather, the fun and festivities are slowly beginning with the end of the year in sight.